Insights Daily Current Events, 21 November 2015
Paper 2 Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
SC stays Delhi HC order on permanent commission to women Navy officers
The Supreme Court has stayed the Delhi High Court order allowing women, serving as short service commission officers, to get permanent commission in the Indian Navy.
- The court has also issued notice to the concerned woman Navy officers on whose plea the High Court had passed the order allowing permanent commission for them in the force.
- The government had challenged the High Court’s order in the apex court.
- The apex court order came as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told it that the high court had erroneously held it as a case of gender discrimination, overlooking the fact that in the navy neither men nor women – who are commissioned under short service category – can be given permanent commission.
Background:
- On September 4, the High Court had allowed a bunch of pleas seeking permanent commission for them in the force, saying “sexist bias and service bias” would not be allowed to block progress of women.
- The court, while granting their plea, had said the “women are here to stay” and since they “work shoulder to shoulder” with their male counterparts, it would “frown upon any endeavour to restrain the progress of women”.
- While the Army and Air Force allow permanent commission for women, the Navy has limited women officers only to short service commission of 14 years.
- The High Court had passed the judgement on the plea of several naval women officers, both retired and serving, from the logistics, education and air traffic control departments of the Navy.
- The women naval officers in their pleas in the high court had sought similar rights as their counterparts in the other two wings of the armed forces. They had also alleged gender discrimination, saying while women officers were only entitled to short service commission, men were entitled to both short service as well as permanent commissions.
What is a permanent commission?
A permanent commission means a career in the Army/Navy till one retires. A permanent commission also entitles 20 years of service and a pension.
sources: the hindu, et.
Paper 3 Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
UN approves resolution urging action against IS
The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a French-sponsored resolution calling on all nations to redouble and coordinate action to prevent further attacks by Islamic State terrorists and other extremist groups.
- This is the 14th terrorism-related resolution adopted by the UN’s most powerful body since 1999.
About the resolution:
- The resolution says the Islamic State group constitutes a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security and expresses the council’s determination to combat by all means this unprecedented threat.
- The resolution unequivocally condemns horrifying terrorist attacks carried out by the Islamic State this year in Sousse, Tunisia and Ankara, Turkey.
- The resolution also calls on UN member states that have the capacity to do so to take all necessary measures against the Islamic State group and all other violent extremist groups to eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Iraq and Syria.
- The resolution also urges UN member states to intensify their efforts to stem the flow of foreign terrorist fighters in Iraq and Syria and to prevent and suppress the financing on terrorism.
Significance of this resolution:
- It was adopted a week after violent extremists launched a coordinated gun and bomb assault that killed 130 people in Paris which the Islamic State claims it carried out.
- It also comes eight days after twin suicide bombings in Beirut killed 43 people, and three weeks after a Russian airliner crashed over Egypt’s Sinai peninsula killing all 224 people on board both attacks also claimed by IS.
sources: the hindu.
Paper 2 Topic: Appointment to various Constitutional posts.
SC seeks Centre’s view on Governor’s removal
The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Centre, the Madhya Pradesh government and the State’s Governor, Ram Naresh Yadav, on a plea seeking the removal of the Governor owing to his alleged involvement in the multi-crore Vyapam scam, which is currently being probed by the CBI.
- The court has given three weeks’ time to respond.
Background:
- The order came based on a petition filed by five Gwalior-based advocates. The petition had arraigned as parties the Madhya Pradesh government, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Governor in person.
- The petition contends that a “tainted” Governor cannot be allowed to discharge constitutional functions.
- It had sought the apex court to direct the MHA to move a proposal for “withdrawal of pleasure” of the President under Article 156 (1) of the Constitution, thus facilitating the Governor’s removal.
Removal of Governor:
A governor of a state in India holds office for a period of five years, but it is subject to termination earlier if:
- The Governor is dismissed by the President, at whose pleasure he holds the office. In reality, the President is advised by the Prime Minister of the country, who decides the dismissal of the Governor of a state, usually on the grounds of gross delinquency namely corruption, bribery and violation of the Constitution.
- The Governor resigns from his post.
There is no provision of impeachment, as it happens for the president.
sources: the hindu, wiki.
